


Butterfly Kisses and a Hug Every Morning

by DamnGina, RiTheBeta



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Bucky Barnes Feels, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Pregnant Darcy Lewis, SHIP DARCY LEWIS WITH ALL THE THINGS, Steve Rogers runs away, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:44:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22335073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DamnGina/pseuds/DamnGina, https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiTheBeta/pseuds/RiTheBeta
Summary: Darcy finds out her Friends with Benefits situation leaves her pregnant, after Steve leaves to find himself. She refuses to tell her friends and adopted family who the father is. Bucky steps up to take care of her, not knowing it's his best friend's child.
Relationships: Darcy Lewis & The Avengers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Darcy Lewis, Steve Rogers/Darcy Lewis
Comments: 152
Kudos: 439





	1. Chapter 1

"I have to leave. I'm not adjusting as well as people assume and I need to figure out who I am and what I can be in this era. Please don't wait for me, be happy. Find someone, you deserve it. More than anyone, you deserve everything. When I figure myself out, I'll reach out, I promise but please don't hold yourself back for me."

Darcy smoothed out the letter Steve left her for the umpteenth time. She was upset and the letter was soaked with her tears, but she tried her best not to smudge the ink. It was the first time in her life she had gotten a real, handwritten letter. Even if it was a 'Dear Jane' letter. Oh, god, she couldn't tell Jane. Couldn't tell anybody. As much as she wanted to hate him, she understood. Steve needed to find out how to be Steve, not Captain America.

She tossed the letter to the side as she ran to toss her cookies, for the third time that morning.

* * *

7 months later

"You're not moving out, Lewis. I can't let you do that, sorry", Tony said, final word on the subject.

"Tony, I cannot raise a child here in the Tower. Superheroes don't want to listen to a crying baby when they have down time. It wouldn't be right of me to ask that of anyone."

"Kiddo, this is the safest place for you to be. Steve always did seem like he had a soft spot for you and he will be back from his quest to discover himself soon. He'd never let anything happen to a kid, no matter how much they whined and cried. And you are not taking away my chance to drive you crazy gifting mini-Lewis with toys that will drive you insane."

Bucky walked in on the conversation, "Listen to Stark, sweetheart."

"You? You're agreeing with Tony?", Darcy shook her head in disbelief.

"I'm just bein' realistic. You move out on your own, what if something happens? Your water breaks at 3 in the morning? You gonna wait on a New York City ambulance? Tony has a full hospital here and no one would be trying to snatch your baby before you get it pushed out all the way. HYDRA is still out there, ya know."

Tony pointed to Bucky, "If I were you, I'd listen to the man. He knows all about HYDRA. You are on their list, munchkin."

"Fine, but no noise makers, Stark. Promise."

Tony crossed his fingers behind his back, "I do solemnly swear.."

Darcy smacked him," You really think I'd fall for that? That trick is older than Bucky!"

"Hey, I'm only like 27 or 28. I think."

"Biologically. Chronologically, though, older than dirt."

"Hey, little Missy, I'll have you know, I was there when dirt was created", the corner of his lip raised a little, "Besides, I keep up with you youngsters, just fine."

Tony clapped his hands, "Okay, now that that's settled. Let's talk nursery decor."

* * *

Darcy sucked on ice chips and tried to breathe like they told her but the pain kept getting worse. All of her hero friends sat outside, waiting. All of them except for Bucky. He was right there, holding her hand. Tony figured with that cybernetic arm, she could squeeze it all she wanted and no one would get hurt.

"Bucky, you don't have to be in here."

"I know, but I want to. You know I'll always be here for ya, Darce. No matter how messy is gets."

The last few weeks of her pregnancy, Bucky Barnes was stuck to her like glue. He rubbed her feet. Massaged her back. And a couple of times, she woke up to him talking to her belly, telling the baby on board what an awesome mama they had and how he couldn't wait to meet them. 

Now, here he was, letting her crush both hands as they waited on her labor to progress. The doctor was checking her cervix with a smile. How can you smile like that, all Cheshire Cat style, with your hand up a pregnant ladies hoo-ha?

"You're at 10 centimeters, Miss Lewis, fully effaced. It's time to push."

The nurse put her legs in the stirrups and spread them wide, "Okay, doctor. She's ready."

She was so not ready. She panted and begged for drugs. Too late for that, now. 

"Come on, Lewis, push out little Tony or Antonia."

Bucky shook his head as he patted her brow with a rag, "Damn, Stark."

"Is there anyone we need to pull in for a DNA test when this is over, Miss Lewis."

"Absolutely not. The father is no one here", Darcy said a little too quickly.

He's not there because he had his own journey to take. Darcy would never begrudge him that. Her heart was too big. 


	2. Chapter 2

“Decide what you’re going to name her yet?”, Bucky asked as he cooed at the baby in his arms. She was the cutest little thing he had ever seen. Tiny head covered in little dark curls, big, blue eyes and the longest damn lashes he had ever seen.

“I’ve settled on Iliana Stephanie Lewis. I like it and it suits her,” Darcy said, weakly. She was so tired. 

“What do you think of that name, baby? It’s pretty and fancy just like you. Yes, it is little Ana, yes it is.”

“I never thought I would see the day when Yasha was cuddling with a little one.” Natasha smiled as she walked into Darcy’s room, pushing a cart of toys, diapers, onesies, and an assortment of other items. “Tony sent this ‘Welcome to the world, kid’ gift cart. He said he will be back to see little Antonia later. Please tell me you did not curse that child with the name Antonia.”

“‘Course she didn’t. She gave her a pretty name: Iliana. I’m gonna call her Ana. Isn’t that right, little one?”

The baby gurgled and drooled a bit, reaching for his nose. He couldn’t believe she wasn’t afraid of him with that damn arm and all. He was in awe of the child. Even though she wasn’t his, he could easily love her. 

“Tell Tony I said thanks. Bucky, I’m so tired. Can you ask the nurse to take her for a little while?” Darcy could hardly keep her eyes open.

“Why, I got her? There’s 5 more who wanna snuggle her. We got this, Darcy. Rest. The nurse showed me how to feed her.”

“Okay, wake me up if she needs anything.”

“For Christ’s sake, Darcy, I took care of all my sisters, I can handle this little one.”

“May I?”, Natasha held out her arms.

Bucky handed the baby over and led Natasha to sit in a chair, “Make sure you support her head, Natalia.”

Natasha ran the tip of her finger over the baby’s tiny nose. "Do you hear Yasha trying to tell me how to hold you. Once the teacher, always the teacher. Hand me a bottle and go take a shower. You have spit-up on your jacket. I’ll rock her for a while.”

“I don’t know. Darcy trusted me to watch her kid. I shouldn’t leave them.”

Natasha took the little bottle off of the table and screwed the fresh nipple on, “That could be taken in many different ways”, she moved to the rocking chair and sat back, offering the little girl the nurser.

* * *

  
  


“Tony, what are you getting into?, Bruce asked, curious as to why Tony had blood, hair and various other fluid samples surrounding him. 

“Darcy won’t tell us who the father is, so I’m doing a bit of sleuthing”, Tony mechanically answered as he watched the machine, waiting for the test to conclude, “She never went on dates so it has to be someone who works here.”

“But she said it herself. It wasn’t anyone here.”

“Holy fuck, holy shit!”, Tony snatched the print out, “I’m her dad?”

“You’re the father? You and Darcy were intimate? When?”

No, green slime for brains. I’m Darcy’s father. But how?”

“Well, when a man and a woman care about each other, or, in your case, are very drunk”, Bruce started.

“Fuck you!”


	3. Chapter 3

No, it couldn’t be right. Tony knew he didn’t have any kids and he was going to prove it. He had filing cabinets full of legal briefs claiming he had fathered this woman or that woman’s child. Funny, when it came down to it. Most of them refused a DNA test. But, at the same time, he remembered quite a few and none of them resembled Darcy at all. 

He grabbed Bruce by the sleeve and led him to a bookcase. He pulled on the spine of 50 Shades of Gray and the bookcase opened, revealing a door. Tony covered the combination lock and turned it, opening it to a room full of filing cabinets and shelves.

“Follow me, I have proof I didn’t father a child. See all of these? DNA tests. Non-disclosure agreements and communications between accusers and my legal team. All dated, all signed off on. No babies for Tony Stark.”

“Tony. Tony, that’s so many women! You slept with them all?”

I was young, dumb and full of cum but none of it actually made it inside. Trojan gave me a trophy. It’s around here somewhere.”

Bruce shuddered at the thought of Tony having so very many sex partners. He could feel Big Green rumbling around inside and he tried to remain as calm as possible. He was partially disgusted but relieved that Tony hadn’t sired offspring, well except for Darcy. Poor kid.

“Hey, you look a little green around the gills. Need to go to your room?”

“Tony, we need to find out the truth. If you really are her father, you need to let her know.”

“I will, if she is. But I need to collect a sample from her and cross-reference it against my personal records. When she was hired, we ran her name, nothing came up or was flagged against the protocols.”

“Have you ran the last name, Katsaros? Darcy was in Foster Care for a few years after her mother died.”

“So, she took the name of her Foster family?”

  
  


“Most likely but I don’t know which one. She was in almost thirty different ones. Nobody wanted a kid that old.”

“Was she? Did they? Was she abused?”

“No, they didn’t care enough to do that. She was just a payday.”

Tony ran to the computer and pulled up the claims against him that didn’t come with a legal notice. He ran the name Bruce gave him and got a ping. Evangelina K. He remembered her. Where was that letter? He had to find it. Ah, yeah, non-legal, just a simple, handwritten letter. He pulled down the plastic tote and flung the lid across the room. He shuffled through the folders until he found what he was looking for. A pink envelope that still smelled of perfume. He pulled out the note and a picture fell from inside the fold. Darcy and Evie. How did this get passed him?

“I knew her. We were actually together for a few months. Then she was gone. This says she fell pregnant and didn’t want to be a burden to me but she was dying and wanted me to take care of Darcy. I ignored it. I ignored my own kid.”

“Tony, the DNA test?”

“I don’t need it,” he pulled out a smaller folder with pictures inside, “She looked just like me.”

  
  



	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I wouldn’t do that, Stark. I’m holding a baby.”

Bruce Banner possessed few people skills but he knew Tony was going to need help breaking the news to Darcy. His friend was shaken and currently staring off into space. Bruce also knew he was going to have to be there for Darcy since he had taken on the role of ‘Uncle’ for her during her pregnancy. He had been to every check-up with her, assuring they kept it as professional as possible. 

“Tony?”

“Hmm, what?”

“You were somewhere else for a minute.”

“Just thinking. About Eva. Raising my kid alone. About how when that letter, handwritten mind you, came, the clerk in charge of filing told me it was another one with no legal backing and I told her to stick it in the box. “

“Tony, you couldn’t have known.”

“But I could have taken the time to read the fucking letter. I convinced myself that these women were trying to trap me. That everyone wanted a cut of the Stark cash.”

“Let’s go talk to Darcy. She deserves to know.”

“Why do I have a gut feeling, she’s going to cut me?”

“It’s Darcy, she probably will, but that doesn’t mean you get to skip telling her. It may do you both some good, and that sweet little baby, will gain a grandfather.”

* * *

  
  


“Bucky, you don’t have to carry her around twenty four hours a day. Lay her down and get some sleep.”

Darcy couldn’t believe she had to tell Bucky Barnes, the fucking Winter Soldeir himself to take a break. He has been toting baby Ana around in a sling. He even took her with him to train a few new agents to take up the slack and partially fill the hole Steve left with his little Sabbatical. 

“It’s fine, Darce. Not even tired. ‘Sides, you ain’t in no shape to be hauling her up and down. I can do it, let me help.”

“Bucky you’ve been nothing but help. You need some rest, too.”

“I’m gonna heat her a bottle up. Make sure this little squirt grows up nice and strong. Sleep Darcy, bringing another human being into this world is rough work.”

“Bucky, women have been having babies and taking care of them on their own for eons, I can do it.”

“Thing is, Darce, you don’t have to.”

“Fine, she loves you, anyway.”

“Not her Pa, but I’ll love her anyway.

“You’re a damn good Pa, Bucky Barnes.”

Bucky flushed a little and gave Darcy a nod, “Little thing is hungry, we’ll be back in a minute. Need anything?”

“My pain pills?”

“You hurting, sweetheart? I’ll bring ‘em and some water. Stay right there.”

Darcy flung herself back against the pillow pile he had built behind her and sighed, wondering what she had done to deserve the gift that was Bucky Barnes. She had never been so pampered in her life and she had to say, she kind of liked it.

Bucky took the container of expressed milk and poured some into Ana’s bottle and sat it in the pot of water on the stove . A few minutes past and he checked the temperature by squirting a bit on his metal wrist so that he got a more accurate reading. Perfect. 

He held the nipple to the baby’s lips and smiled as she began to suck greedily. Those blue eyes watched him as he held the bottle with one hand and got Darcy’s pills and a bottle of water. He felt like he knew those eyes from somewhere but he couldn’t put his finger on it. 

He was almost back to the bedroom when someone knocked on the door, “Shit. Sorry, Ana, don’t repeat after me, alright.”

He opened the door with a groan. He knew the others would be stopping by to see the baby but he wasn’t ready to give up holding her just yet. She made him feel a little less like a broken man.

Stark and Banner stood there in the hall. Stark was sweating profusely and Banner looked nervous. At least it wasn’t 'Hulk Out' nervous. 

“Whatcha need?” He knew he sounded gruff, he just didn’t care.

“I need to talk to Darcy, in private for a few minutes.” Stark was sweating bullets and not even that fancy deodorant he used was helping. 

Bucky wrapped his free hand around Ana’s back and nodded toward the bedroom door, “She’s in there but she’s resting, Stark. Having a baby is tough on a body.”

Tony swallowed hard, “Seems it’s tough no matter how long ago the actual birth was. Can I go see her without you going murder monkey on me?”

“I wouldn’t do that, Stark. I’m holding a baby.”

Bruce pushed Tony forward, “Go talk.”

The bedroom door swung open to Darcy limping out. "Bucky, where’s those pills? Oh, hello?”

“Lewis, I need to talk to you about something.”

Darcy quirked an eyebrow, “If this is about you being my sperm donor, save it. I already knew.”

Bruce snorted like a choking man, “Then why didn’t you say something?”

“I figured if he didn’t give enough of a fuck about his own daughter to keep her out of the system, then why should I give a fuck about him?”


	5. Chapter 5

Tony’s chest felt tight, the guilt filling the place where a heart should be was new. He knew she had every right to be mad at him, maybe even hate him just a little but the indifference in her voice is what hurt. She really didn’t care at all. 

Barnes leveled Stark a dark look, “You knew about Darce and her ma and you let her spend years in Foster care? You let them people use your kid as a paycheck? You know how much she’s been through?”

“No, I do not. I thought her mother was another in a long list of scammers trying to get a nice chunk of change once they found out about my reputation.”

Darcy sneered at him, “Big reputation. Let me enlighten you. Mr and Mrs. Greer. My first family, they ever so graciously gave me a literal closet to sleep in for the whole week I was with them. Mrs. Rose, second Foster mom, she didn’t care if I ate, slept, or even breathed as long as that check came on the first of the month. Lather, rinse, repeat.”

“Lewis, Darcy, baby, I’m sorry. If Eva had tried harder to contact me….”

Darcy’s finger wagged in his face, “Don’t you dare blame her. Your punk ass lackey told her to leave you alone or they’d get a restraining order and a bunch of other shit.”

“Darcy, I had no idea, I swear.”

“Of course you don’t. You’re clueless to everything around you, but you! I’ll be out of here by morning.”

Bruce took her by the shoulders, “No, you can’t leave now. Not because of Tony but for Ana. All it takes is one wrong person finding out about your relation and someone could try to take her from you or worse. I know I can’t speak for Tony, but for myself, it’d cause one hell of a hulk out if you left.”

Bucky used his free hand to rub up and down her back, “Darce, Doc Banner is right. Ana’s safety is more important than Stark...well, Starking things up as usual.”

“Lewis, stay, keep working like nothing’s changed. We can work this out, we can leave things as is. Choice is all yours. But, I do ask one thing? Can I hold her? Just for a minute?”

Darcy looked to Bucky, silently asking for advice but he decided for her. He took Ana out of the carrier and handed her over, “He did wrong by his daughter, maybe he can mend fences with his only granddaughter.”

Tony tenderly held the little one to his chest as Bruce fussed at him about proper head and neck support and Darcy chuckled. Bucky laughed at Stark’s awkwardness as he handed the tot to Bruce, who held her with a practiced ease. 

Bucky tapped Stark on the shoulder, “Ain’t holding a baby anymore.”

“Come on, Bruce, time to go. We have some unfinished business in the lab.”

Bruce looked confused, “We do?”

Tony grabbed him by the back of his button-up as he handed Ana to Darcy, “Sure thing, big guy. We have to do that thing, with the thing. Come on.”

Bucky grinned and took Ana from her mother and put her back in the sling. It’s where she belonged, next to his heart, even if he wasn’t her pa. He loved her anyway. 

Darcy laughed, “Did you see the look on his face when you told him you weren’t holding a baby anymore. You, Bucky Barnes, are a gift I do not deserve.”

Bucky gave her a weak smile and held out two of her pain pills, “You deserve more than someone like me. If Stevie was still here, I would almost bet that he’d be taking care of you right along with me.”

Darcy winced at the mention of Steve. He couldn’t ever find out about Ana. A kid was not in his plans, “Yeah, Steve, he was cool and shit but he’s no Bucky Barnes. Bucky Barnes performs miracles and is the universe’s most awesome baby whisperer.”

The look on Barnes’ face was one of pure ‘aw shucks’ and Darcy found that she liked it. She decided at that moment to keep those looks on the man’s face. He, more than anyone she knew, needed to have a few bits of the happy, squishy feelings.

“Go on and lie back down. You need as much rest as you can get,” he ushered her back into the bedroom. 

“You know, you don’t have to do everything, Bucky. I can help. She is my responsibility.”

“Not until the Doc says you’re all healed up. My ma would roll over in her grave if she knew I wasn’t doing right by a woman that just gave birth and is still recovering.”

Darcy patted his chest and kissed his cheek before kissing the baby on her head, “As the saying goes, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” she headed back to the room.

“Your ma is something else, Ana,” he turned on the radio, flipping the dial until he found a soft song he could still dance to and put his hands on the baby’s back, dancing around the living room. Even though he wasn’t her real Pa, he was going to love her anyway.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thought you'd like to say hi.

Bruce shook his head at Tony, “I can’t believe you let him scare you off like that.”

“He’s trying to protect both of them, it’s fine, really. At least he got her to stay here. It gives me time to figure out how to be the best dad I can be,”

Bruce crossed his arms over his chest, “You have 27 years to make up for and we both know Darcy is not the most forgiving type.”

“I have time, as long as they stay here. Stay home.”

  
  


8 months later

“Bucky! Bucky, come look! She’s trying to walk!” Darcy shouted down the hall. 

“Darcy, I know you want her to hit all of the milestones on time but isn’t she a little too young to be …Son of a bitch, she is!” Bucky shouted with no small amount of joy as he dried his hands on the dishrag. 

“She just stood up and tried to run.”

Bucky chuckled, “Makes you think she’s had some serum.”

Darcy smiled, flashing all of her teeth, “That would be crazy.”

Bucky bent over and picked the little girl up, “Maybe your mama should've named you Stevie. You run head first into trouble just like that punk. I’m gonna feed her lunch, you wanna start a load of clothes?”

“No, but I will since you’re doing all the other work. Like always.”

Bucky wrapped his free arm around her waist and kissed her forehead, “ I don’t mind. Taking care of you two makes me feel useful.”

“You are so much more than useful. You’re irreplaceable. I couldn’t have done any of this without you, Buckeroo.”

“Sure, you could but it wouldn’t have gone as smoothly or efficiently,”, he swatted her butt as he walked past.

“That’s why I keep you around. Smoothness, efficiency and fantastic abs. Not to mention, that magical tongue.”

Bucky covered the baby’s ears, feigning scandalism, “Darce! She don’t need to be hearing that.”

Darcy threw back her head in joyous laughter, “It’s not like she knows what I’m talking about, Buck.”

“Still, she don’t need to be knowing her Pa does things like that for her Ma.”

Darcy laughed again and swatted his ass, “Feed her, I’ll get the clothes together.”

Bucky kissed the baby on the top of her head, “Your Ma’s gonna be the end of me, but I love her anyway.”

Ana nuzzled him with her nose against his cheek and he let out a hearty chuckle. Kid was something else, that was for sure. She hugged him with both chubby little arms and his heart melted just a little more.

“Ain’t your real Pa, but I love you, anyway, little Ana.”

He had just sat the jar of baby food bananas on the table when there was a knock at the door, “Come in!”

Natasha’s head popped in as the door opened, “Where’s Darcy?”

Bucky eyed her. She seemed nervous and it made him suspicious, “Getting the laundry. Why?”

“Steve is back. They were close, so I thought she’d like to say hello.”

“Darce! Natalia wants you,” He called as he sat Ana in her chair. 

Natasha quirked an eyebrow at him, “He’s your best friend. Are you not coming to welcome him home? “

“He left me behind, didn’t even say good-bye so forgive me for not feeling very enthusiastic about seeing him.”

Darcy came down the hall, carrying the overflowing laundry basket, “Whatcha need Tash?”

“Steve is back. Come say hi?’ the red-head offered. 

Darcy froze as her blood ran cold. She quickly tried to cover but, spies, “I’ll say hey later, I’m busy right now.”

Natasha eyed her then nodded her head, “Suit yourselves.”

Buck walked up behind her and squeezed her shoulders, “There a reason you don’t want to see Steve? Maybe one sitting there in that high-chair?”

Darcy dropped the laundry basket and covered her face. Her careful sculpted life was unraveling before her eyes. As her body shook with the force of her crying, she felt his arms wrap around her. 

“It’s okay, it’s going to be okay. Even if Steve is her father, I’m the only Pa she’s ever gonna know. She’s not mine, but I’ll love her anyway.”


End file.
